


Stepping Off

by fluffy_fluff_scarf



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Kinda, M/M, i mean we know it ends up okay, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29066334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffy_fluff_scarf/pseuds/fluffy_fluff_scarf
Summary: “After the final, let’s end this.”Yuuri wasn’t sure how Victor would respond to that, but he didn’t expect him to cry. Victor – joyful, enthusiastic, larger-than-life Victor – was crying.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29





	Stepping Off

**Author's Note:**

> So ughhhh I *just* watched Yuri!!! on Ice for the first time this month and fell head over heels in love with it. I've never written fic for it before; I've never written fic for any anime before. Lots of firsts here, so I just wanted to practice with this lil 1k piece

“After the final, let’s end this.”

Yuuri wasn’t sure how Victor would respond to that, but he didn’t expect him to _cry._ Victor – joyful, enthusiastic, larger-than-life Victor – was _crying._

He knew a conversation about his retirement would be difficult, but seeing Victor upset hurt Yuuri’s heart more then he could have imagined. He gently brushed the older man’s bangs to the side and gazed into his tearful eyes.

Victor pushed his hand away, the silver stands falling back into place. “Yes, Yuuri?” he asked, voice strained. “What are you looking at?”

“I’m…” Yuuri kept his voice low. “I’m just surprised to see you cry.”

Victor sighed in frustration. “I’m mad, okay? What should I do?”

Pulling away, Yuuri sat back on the bed. “You’re the one who said it was only until the Grand Prix final.”

“I thought you’d eventually decide you wanted my help for longer than that.”

Yuuri couldn’t stand how dejected Victor looked. “It’s okay,” he promised. “You don’t need to worry about me. This way, you can make your comeback –”

“Stop!” Victor cried, his typically relaxed tone rising. “I don’t want to hear it!” He sprang forward and gripped Yuuri’s shoulders. “How can you tell me to return to the ice when you’re retiring?”

Yuuri could see the tears shimmering on Victor’s eyelashes. His blue eyes were simultaneously intense and vulnerable.

He placed his left hand over Victor’s and squeezed gently, their rings clinking upon impact. “You can’t pretend that this isn’t killing you,” he whispered.

“This isn’t about me,” Victor pressed. “This is about _your_ career –”

“This is about us!” Yuuri didn’t mean to get upset, but how could Victor not see that he was doing this for him – for them?

Victor stood with a huff and ran a hand through his hair. “What are you talking about?” He sounded tired. Defeated.

Yuuri stood as well and wiped his hands on his pants. “Victor…” In a surge of bravery, he grasped at Victor’s arms, the soft fabric of his robe balling into his fists. “I’ve seen you on the ice. I’ve watched you for nearly my _entire_ life. You can’t tell me you’re okay with this – that you’re okay with just watching from the sidelines.”

“Leaving was _my_ choice,” Victor told him, his eyes searching Yuuri’s face.

“And retiring is mine.” Yuuri slid his grip down Victor’s sleeve and clasped his hands.

“Don’t do this,” Victor begged. “I’ve also seen you in the ice. There is something in you that I’ve never seen before, Yuuri. That is why I decided to become your coach. That is why I…” He trailed off, interlacing their fingers.

Yuuri stood on his toes to rest his forehead against Victor’s. The other man helped, bending his head down to meet him halfway.

“These past eight months have been… _unbelievable,_ ” Yuuri said softly. “The best time of my life. But I can’t hold you back anymore.”

“Hold me back?” Victor asked, pulling away. He gently placed a palm on Yuuri’s cheek. “Do you even realize how much I’ve learned from you? How much _you_ have changed _me?_ ”

Yuuri turned away from him, rubbing his hands over his face as he tried to gather his thoughts. Why wasn’t he getting it? He whirled back around, fresh determination flowing through him. “Look, Victor, you only have a few years left to compete. I know you know that. And…” Tears of resignation began to prick at the back of his eyes. “And I don’t want you to look back in three years and regret this – regret me!” He didn’t realize his tears escaped until he felt them stream down his cheeks.

Immediately, Victor rushed over and cupped his face in his hands, his thumbs softly stroking his dampened skin. “Regret?” he asked in disbelief. “I could _never_ regret you.”

It was almost too easy. Yuuri was so close to just agreeing with him. He wanted to kiss him and just forget about the future for a while.

But they didn’t have that luxury. They both would have to make a choice.

And Yuuri already knew he would choose Victor’s happiness over his own.

Sighing, Yuuri reluctantly pulled back from his embrace once more. He slumped over to his bed and sat down, his hands on his knees. He was suddenly worn out. “Victor –” he began.

“Don’t.” Avoiding eye contact, Victor shook his head, his hands on his hips. He was clearly just as exhausted as Yuuri. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” He made his way over to his own bed and stood hesitantly by its side, like he was unsure whether to get in or not.

“How about we discuss this tomorrow?” Yuuri suggested. They were both drained from the short program that day and they weren’t going to get anywhere with an argument that night. “Tomorrow…let’s decide tomorrow. After the free skate. I – we each need to make out own choice, don’t we?”

Victor turned from him as he untied his robe and pulled it off his shoulders. “Fine.” His voice was flat.

Yuuri watched Victor’s shoulders. His arms. The toned muscles on his back as they shifted when he tossed the robe to the floor. It was a body built from a lifetime of skating. It was a body Yuuri wanted pressed against him in that small hotel bed like so many times before.

Victor would always not-so-subtly crawl in next to him and curl himself around Yuuri’s shorter form. Or they would push the two beds together and Yuuri would wake up with a strong, warm arm draped across his abdomen.

Instead, Victor kept his back to him and pulled the comforter up to his chin. “Tomorrow,” he mumbled, his face buried in the pillow.

They were only feet apart, but Yuuri had never felt so far from Victor.

Victor. His coach. His friend. His…his lover.

One more day and it might all be over. All Yuuri could hope for was that Victor would be happy.

Everything they did on the ice was love, but he wasn’t sure where their futures would lead once they stepped off.

**Author's Note:**

> I've seen around that Yuri's name is spelled Yuuri most of the time because it's apparently the more accurate way to write it, but it also helps avoid confusion for when I write fics with Yuri(o) in it so I love that lmao
> 
> And apologies for any mistakes. I know this is a short piece, but I just wanted to get a feel for this fandom before diving all the way in lmao


End file.
